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NASA NTRS2017

CIRIR Programs: Drilling and Research Opportunities at the Rochechouart Impact Structure

Owing to its size, accessibility and erosional level, the Rochechouart impact structure, dated at ~203 +/- 2 Ma (recalc.), is a unique reser-voir of knowledge within the population of the rare terrestrial analogous to large impacts craters observed on planetary surfaces. The site gives direct access to fundamental mechanisms both in impact-related geology (origin and evolution of planets) and biology (habitability of planets, emergence and evolution of life). For the last decade P. Lambert has been installing Rochechouart as International Natural Laboratory for studying impact processes and collateral effects on planetary surfaces. For this purpose the Center for International Research on Impacts and on Rochechouart (CIRIR) was installed on site in 2016 with twofold objectives and activities. First ones are scientific and dedicated to the scientific community. The second are cultural and educational and are dedi-cated to the public sensu lato. We present here the CIRIR, its scientific programs and the related reseach opportunities.

Lambert, P.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Rim Structure, Stratigraphy, and Aqueous Alteration Exposures Along Opportunity Rover's Traverse of the Noachian Endeavour Crater

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has traversed 10.2 kilometers along segments of the west rim of the 22-kilometer-diameter Noachian Endeavour impact crater as of sol 4608 (01/09/17). The stratigraphy, attitude of units, lithology, and degradation state of bedrock outcrops exposed on the crater rim have been examined in situ and placed in geologic context. Structures within the rim and differences in physical properties of the identified lithologies have played important roles in localizing outcrops bearing evidence of aqueous alteration.

Crumpler, L.S.↗

NASA NTRS2017

VHF SoOp (Signal of Opportunity) Technology Demonstration for Soil Moisture Measurement Using Microwave Hydraulic Boom Truck Platform

A goal of this research is to test deployable VHF antennas for 6U Cubesat platforms to enable validation of root zone soil moisture (RZSM) estimation algorithms for signal of opportunity (SoOp) remote sensing over the 240-270 MHz frequency band. The proposed work provides a strong foundation for establishing a technology development path for maturing a global direct surface soil moisture (SM) and RZSM measurement system over a variety of land covers. Knowledge of RZSM up to a depth of 1 meter and surface SM up to a depth of 0.05 meter on a global scale, at a spatial resolution of 1-10 km through moderate-to-heavy vegetation, is critical to understanding global water resources and the vertical moisture gradient in the Earths surface layer which controls moisture interactions between the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere. Current observations of surface SM from space by L-band radiometers (1.4 GHz) and radars (1.26 GHz) are limited to measurements of surface SM up to a depth of 0.05 meter through moderate amounts of vegetation. This limitation is mainly due to the inability of L-band signals to penetrate through dense vegetation and deep into the soil column. Satellite observations of the surface moisture conditions are coupled to sophisticated models which extrapolate the surface SM into the root zone, thus providing an indirect estimate rather than a direct measurement of RZSM. To overcome this limitation, low-frequency airborne radars operating at 435 MHz and 118 MHz have been investigated, since these lower frequencies should penetrate denser vegetation and respond to conditions deeper in the soil.

SoOp↗

NASA NTRS2017

The NASA Ames Research Center Institutional Scientific Collection: History, Best Practices and Scientific Opportunities

The NASA Ames Life Sciences Institutional Scientific Collection (ISC), which is composed of the Ames Life Sciences Data Archive (ALSDA) and the Biospecimen Storage Facility (BSF), is managed by the Space Biosciences Division and has been operational since 1993. The ALSDA is responsible for archiving information and animal biospecimens collected from life science spaceflight experiments and matching ground control experiments. Both fixed and frozen spaceflight and ground tissues are stored in the BSF within the ISC. The ALSDA also manages a Biospecimen Sharing Program, performs curation and long-term storage operations, and makes biospecimens available to the scientific community for research purposes via the Life Science Data Archive public website (https:lsda.jsc.nasa.gov). As part of our best practices, a viability testing plan has been developed for the ISC, which will assess the quality of archived samples. We expect that results from the viability testing will catalyze sample use, enable broader science community interest, and improve operational efficiency of the ISC. The current viability test plan focuses on generating disposition recommendations and is based on using ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity number (RIN) scores as a criteria for measurement of biospecimen viablity for downstream functional analysis. The plan includes (1) sorting and identification of candidate samples, (2) conducting a statiscally-based power analysis to generate representaive cohorts from the population of stored biospecimens, (3) completion of RIN analysis on select samples, and (4) development of disposition recommendations based on the RIN scores. Results of this work will also support NASA open science initiatives and guides development of the NASA Scientific Collections Directive (a policy on best practices for curation of biological collections). Our RIN-based methodology for characterizing the quality of tissues stored in the ISC since the 1980s also creates unique scientific opportunities for temporal assessment across historical missions. Support from the NASA Space Biology Program and the NASA Human Research Program is gratefully acknowledged.

ALSDA↗

NASA NTRS2017

The Radio Frequency Environment at 240-270 MHz with Application to Signal-of-Opportunity Remote Sensing

Low frequency observations are desired for soil moisture and biomass remote sensing. Long wavelengths are needed to penetrate vegetation and Earths land surface. In addition to the technical challenges of developing Earth observing spaceflight instruments operating at low frequencies, the radio frequency spectrum allocated to remote sensing is limited. Signal-of-opportunity remote sensing offers the chance to use existing signals exploiting their allocated spectrum to make Earth science measurements. We have made observations of the radio frequency environment around 240-270 MHz and discuss properties of desired and undesired signals.

Soil Moisture↗

NASA NTRS2015

Comparison of Optimal Small Spacecraft Micro Electric Propulsion Technologies for Mission Opportunities

The goal of this paper is to explore the mission opportunities that are uniquely enabled by U-class Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technologies. Small SEP thrusters offers significant advantages relative to existing technologies and will revolutionize the class of mission architectures that small spacecraft can accomplish by enabling trajectory maneuvers with significant change in velocity requirements and reaction wheel-free attitude control. This paper aims to develop and apply a common system-level modeling framework to evaluate these thrusters for relevant upcoming mission scenarios, taking into account the mass, power, volume, and operational constraints of small highly-constrained missions. We will identify the optimal technology for broad classes of mission applications for different U-class spacecraft sizes and provide insights into what constrains the system performance to identify technology areas where improvements are needed.

Spangelo, Sara↗

NASA NTRS2018

Star & Planet Formation Studies and Opportunities with SOFIA

Star formation, the most fundamental process in the universe, is linked to planet formation and thus to the origin and evolution of life. We have a general outline of how planets and stars form, yet unraveling the details of the physics and chemistry continues to challenge us. The infrared and submillimeter part of the spectrum hold the most promise for studying the beginnings of star formation. The observational landscape recently shaped by Spitzer, Herschel and ALMA, continues to challenge our current theories. SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, equipped with state-of-the-art infrared instrumentation to a vantage point at 45,000 feet (13.7 kilometers) flight altitude that is above 99.9 percent of the Earth's water vapor, enables observations in the infrared through terahertz frequencies not possible from the ground. SOFIA is a community observatory, about to start its sixth annual observing cycle. My talk will focus on recent results in advancing star and planet formation processes using SOFIAʼs imaging and polarimetric capabilities, and the upcoming science enabled by the 3rd generation instrument High-Resolution Mid-Infrared Spectrometer (HIRMES) to be commissioned in 2019. I will show how mid-infrared imaging is used to test massive star formation theories, how far-infrared polarimetry on sub-parsec scales is directly testing the role of magnetic fields in molecular clouds, and how velocity-resolved high-resolution spectroscopy will push forward our understanding of proto-planetary disk science. I will also summarize upcoming opportunities with the SOFIA observatory. For the latest news about your flying observatory, see https://sofia.usra.edu/.

Star formation↗

NASA NTRS2018

Challenges and Opportunities in Gen3 Embedded Cooling with High-Quality Microgap Flow

Gen3, Embedded Cooling, promises to revolutionize thermal management of advanced microelectronic systems by eliminating the sequential conductive and interfacial thermal resistances which dominate the present 'remote cooling' paradigm. Single-phase interchip microfluidic flow with high thermal conductivity chips and substrates has been used successfully to cool single transistors dissipating more than 40kW/sq cm, but efficient heat removal from transistor arrays, larger chips, and chip stacks operating at these prodigious heat fluxes would require the use of high vapor fraction (quality), two-phase cooling in intra- and inter-chip microgap channels. The motivation, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with evaporative embedded cooling in realistic form factors, is the focus of this paper. The paper will begin with a brief review of the history of thermal packaging, reflecting the 70-year 'inward migration' of cooling technology from the computer-room, to the rack, and then to the single chip and multichip module with 'remote' or attached air- and liquid-cooled coldplates. Discussion of the limitations of this approach and recent results from single-phase embedded cooling will follow. This will set the stage for discussion of the development challenges associated with application of this Gen3 thermal management paradigm to commercial semiconductor hardware, including dealing with the effects of channel length, orientation, and manifold-driven centrifugal acceleration on the governing behavior.

microchannel↗

NASA NTRS2018

GPS Operations in High Earth Orbit: Recent Experiences and Future Opportunities

Over the past two decades, spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) have significantly benefited from real-time reception of navigation and timing signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS). By employing GPS receivers that are specially developed to support reception in space, LEO spacecraft now realize significantly reduced recovery time after trajectory maneuvers, improved operations cadence, increased satellite autonomy, and more precise, real-time navigation and timing performance. Now, despite extremely weak signal reception and less favorable geometry, a number of upcoming HEO missions are poised to benefit from improved navigation, timing, and onboard autonomy thanks to GPS. This paper will describe the results of two recent missions (MMS and GOES-16), provide an understanding of the benefits and limitations of GPS beyond LEO, and outline future missions and opportunities where this capability would result in significant and enabling benefits.

Global Positioning System↗

NASA NTRS2018

GPS Operations in High Earth Orbit Recent - Experiences and Future Opportunities

Space Service Volume↗

NASA NTRS2013

A Possible U.S. Contribution to eLISA, a Gravitational-Wave Mission Concept for ESA's L2 Opportunity

Scientists from the member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) that proposed the New Gravitational-Wave Observatory (NGO) have organized the eLISA Consortium to propose for ESAs next large mission opportunity. The Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA) concept is derived from the well-studied LISA concept for a space-based, gravitational-wave detector. eLISA will use the technology being developed by the LISA Pathfinder mission in a two-arm version that achieves much of the LISA science endorsed by the Decadal Survey. If invited, NASA could join the project as a junior partner with a ~20 share. This could enable a third arm and substantially augment the science return. While the details of the eLISA concept to be proposed have not yet been finalized, the SGO Mid concept, recently studied in the U.S., constitutes a possible augmented concept for an ESA/NASA partnership. The eLISA concept and the SGO Mid concept are described and compared.

concept↗

NASA NTRS2018

NASA's Space Launch System: Opportunities for Small Satellites to Deep Space Destinations

The first flight of NASA's new exploration-class launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), will test a myriad of systems designed to enable the next generation of deep space human spaceflight, while also providing the rare opportunity for 13 6U CubeSat-class payloads to be deployed in several locations along the flight path. The first mission of SLS and NASA's new Orion crew vehicle, Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), will launch from upgraded facilities at Kennedy Space Center no earlier than fiscal year 2020. The initial Block 1 configuration for EM-1 will be capable of lofting at least 26 metric tons (t) of payload to the moon, with propulsion supplied by twin five-segment solid rocket boosters, four RS-25 engines and an Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). SLS will send Orion into a distant retrograde lunar orbit, paving the way for future missions to cislunar space and eventually Mars. The multidisciplinary small satellites for EM-1 derive from NASA research, as well as from international partners, industry and academia. Research subjects for the various smallsats include the moon, sun and an asteroid. Science objectives vary from characterizing the effects of radiation on living organisms (yeast) to landing the smallest spacecraft yet on the moon to supporting space weather research. Some of the payloads are technology demonstrations that will pave the way for more ambitious future missions that will be deployed by the more powerful SLS Block 1B configuration.

Robinson, Kimberly F.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Signals of Opportunity - Airborne Demonstrator (SoOP-AD): Instrument Overview, Performance During First Flights and Future Instrument Concept

The Signals of Opportunity Airborne Demonstrator (SoOp-AD) was developed as part of the NASA InstrumentIncubator Program (IIP) with the goal of maturing the use of SoOp from existing communication satellites in geostationaryorbit, operating within the heavily used P-band (under 500 MHz) spectrum for soil moisture observations. P-band offers the benefit of roughly five (5) times deeper soil penetration compared to conventional L-band methods. SoOp-AD operates in a bi-static radar configuration, and only requires reception of direct and scattered signals from the source satellite. In this paper we present an overview of the SoOp-AD instrument architecture, signal processing, internal calibration approach and preliminary results from flights over the Little Washita watershed in Oklahoma, USA. Finally, future steps towards a U-class ("cubesat") instrument concept based upon experience with the airborne demonstrator are presented.

Instrumentation and Photography↗

NASA NTRS2018

NASA's Space Launch System and Deep Space Opportunities for Smallsats

Overview of the agency’s plans for deep space exploration: NASA has a phased approach to successful human exploration of deep space; We began LEO (Low Earth Orbit), where we’ve lived aboard the ISS continuously for more than 17 years; What have we learned in those years that will help us put boots on the moon with eyes toward Mars? And also help us on Earth? - Advances in materials research - 3D printing in space - Engineered life support systems for sustained stays in space - Better understanding of the effects of microgravity on the human body - We deploy CubeSats from the ISS (International Space Station) - We’ve cooperate with international partners - We’ve opened transportation to LEO to commercial vehicles; Allowing commercial companies to take over LEO frees NASA to explore deep space - next step is back to the Moon; NASA will establish a lunar Gateway near the moon (near rectilinear halo orbit);The Gateway will be crew tended (30-90 day missions); Gateway will communicate with Earth and lunar surface; Will open new opportunities for robotic exploration of the moon, especially far side of the moon and poles; Prospecting for volatiles will be high on the list of priorities; SLS (Space Launch System)/Orion will participate in gateway assembly and operation; Will serve as a testbed for new technologies and inform future Mars missions; After learning how to live and work in deep space like we did in LEO, NASA will move on Mars missions; SLS’s capability to accommodate primary, co-manifested and secondary payloads (when available) is a key component in making this vision a reality.

Bookout, Paul S.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Challenges and Opportunities for Ensuring Entry System Technology Readiness for Ice Giants Probe Missions

The Ice Giants represent a distinct class of planets within our solar system, and appear to be similar to most exoplanets that have been detected thus far. Exploring Ice Giants in our Solar System would allow us to better understand their formation and evolution processes, and thus help establish scientific links to exoplanets. In situ exploration using probes similar to Galileo, along with an orbiter or a relay spacecraft, will require entry followed by deployment of the descent probe containing science instruments into Uranus or Neptune atmosphere. The challenge is not in the deployment of the probe, but in the atmospheric entry prior to deployment. The entry system has to have a capable, robust and efficient ablative thermal protection system (TPS) designed to protect the descent probe from the thermal and mechanical entry loads. Although entries into Ice Giants may not be as demanding as the Galileo entry at Jupiter, the entry environments will be more severe than environments for Mars, Sample Return missions, and Venus, and will therefore require robust TPS. While Galileo Probe’s success, nearly 25 years ago, should give us confidence, the recession data from the Galileo entry informs us that the entry environment was under-predicted and the design thickness was barely adequate. The lesson learned from the Galileo probe for future Ice Giant missions will require us to be cautious and demand a more robust design. The TPS technology used on the Galileo entry system no longer exists due to atrophy of manufacturing processes. Instead of attempting to revive Galileo-legacy TPS technology, NASA invested in a new and innovative TPS called HEEET (Heat-shield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology). HEEET has been matured, and is now ready to support future missions not only to the Ice Giants but also for Venus, high-speed sample return, and Saturn probe missions. This lead talk, intended for the technology section of the workshop, will cover entry, descent, and deployment (EDD), with an emphasis on entry. A brief history of the TPS challenges for extreme entry missions will be given, along with a quick overview of the concept of operations for EDD. The development and maturation of HEEET system capability will be described. Data gathered in ground-test facilities in the US will be highlighted to show that the technology is mature and ready for Ice Giant missions. All thermal protection systems carry some risk as a result of ground test limitations and Ice Giant missions present some unique challenges. These challenges are not only technical, but also due to limitations in the currently established manufacturing and integration. In addition, the concerns that arise due to the potential for atrophy for future Ice Giant missions a decade or more from now will be analyzed. Plausible avenues for mitigation will be presented. There are two planned companion presentations by Dr. Prabhu and Dr. Hwang that will dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities. This intended talk will set the stage for their presentations.

Venkatapathy, Ethiraj↗

NASA NTRS2018

Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture: Challenges, Opportunities, and AgMIP Frameworks for Foresight

Agricultural systems are currently undergoing rapid shifts owing to socioeconomic development, technological change, population growth, economic opportunity, evolving demand for commodities, and the need for sustainability amid global environmental change. It is not sufficient to maintain current harvest levels; rather, there is a need to rapidly increase production in light of a population growing to nearly 10 billion by mid-century and to more than 11 billion by 2100 (FAO, 2016; UN, 2016; Popkin et al., 2012). Current and future agricultural systems are additionally burdened by human-caused climate change, the result of accumulating greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions, ecological destruction, and land use changes that have altered the chemical composition of Earth’s atmosphere and trapped energy in the Earth system (IPCC, 2013; Porter et al., 2014). This increased energy has already raised average surface temperatures by approximately 1 degree Centigrade (GISTEMP Team, 2017; Hansen et al., 2010), leading early on to the term “global warming,” but this phenomenon is now more accurately referred to as “climate change” because it also modifies atmospheric circulation, adjusts regional and seasonal precipitation patterns, and shifts the distribution and characteristics of extreme events (Bindoff et al., 2013; Collins et al., 2013). Food and health systems face increasing risk owing to progressive climate change now manifesting itself as more frequent, severe extreme weather events—heat waves, droughts, and floods (IPCC, 2013). Often without warning, weather-related shocks can have catastrophic and reverberating impacts on the increasingly exposed global food system—through production, processing, distribution, retail, disposal, and waste. Simultaneously, malnutrition and ill health are arising from lack of access to nutritious food, exacerbated in crises such as food price spikes or shortages. For some countries, particularly import-dependent low-income countries, weather shocks and price spikes can lead to social unrest, famine, and migration.

Ruane, Alex C.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Challenges and Opportunities For Ensuring Entry System Technology Readiness For Ice Giants Probe Missions

The Ice Giants represent a distinct class of planets within our solar system, and appear to be similar to most exoplanets that have been detected thus far. Exploring Ice Giants in our Solar System would allow us to better understand their formation and evolution processes, and thus help establish scientific links to exoplanets. In situ exploration using probes similar to Galileo, along with an orbiter or a relay spacecraft, will require entry followed by deployment of the descent probe containing science instruments into Uranus or Neptune atmosphere. The challenge is not in the deployment of the probe, but in the atmospheric entry prior to deployment. The entry system has to have a capable, robust and efficient ablative thermal protection system (TPS) designed to protect the descent probe from the thermal and mechanical entry loads. Although entries into Ice Giants may not be as demanding as the Galileo entry at Jupiter, the entry environments will be more severe than environments for Mars, Sample Return missions, and Venus, and will therefore require robust TPS. While Galileo Probe’s success, nearly 25 years ago, should give us confidence, the recession data from the Galileo entry informs us that the entry environment was under predicted and the design thickness was barely adequate. The lesson learned from Galileo probe for future Ice Giant missions will require us to be cautious and demand a more robust design. The TPS technology used on Galileo entry system no longer exists due to atrophy of manufacturing processes. Instead of attempting to revive Galileo-legacy TPS technology, NASA invested in a new and innovative TPS called HEEET (Heat-shield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology). HEEET has been matured, and is now ready to support future missions not only to the Ice Giants but also for Venus, high-speed sample return, and Saturn probe missions. This lead talk, intended for the technology section of the workshop, will cover entry, descent, and deployment (EDD), with an emphasis on entry. A brief history of the TPS challenges for extreme entry missions will be given along with a quick overview of the concept of operations for EDD. The development and maturation of HEEET system capability will be described. Data gathered in ground-test facilities in the US will be highlighted to show that the technology is mature and ready for Ice Giant missions. All thermal protection systems carry some risk as a result of ground test limitations and Ice Giant missions present some unique challenges. These challenges are not only technical, but also due to limitations in the currently established manufacturing and integration. In addition, the concerns that arise due to potential for atrophy for future Ice Giant mission a decade or more from now will be analyzed. Plausible avenues for mitigation will be presented. There are two companion planned presentations by Dr. Prabhu and Dr. Hwang will dive deeper in the challenges and opportunities. This intended talk will set the stage for their presentations.

Venkatapathy, Ethiraj↗

NASA NTRS2019

POEMMA's Target of Opportunity Sensitivity to Cosmic Neutrino Transient Sources

We calculate the sensitivity of space-based cosmic neutrino detection from transient sources in the context of the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA) mission using Target- of-Opportunity (ToO) observations. POEMMA uses two spacecraft each with a large Schmidt telescope to simultaneously view the optical signals generated by extensive air showers (EASs). POEMMA is designed for both ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and very-high-energy neutrino measurements. POEMMA has significant neutrino sensitivity starting in the 10 PeV decade via measurements of Cherenkov signals from upward-moving EASs initiated by tau neutrinos interacting in the Earth. For ToO observations, POEMMA uses the ability to quickly repoint (90° in 500 seconds) each of the two spacecraft to the direction of the transient source. POEMMA EAS measurements are performed during astronomical night, leading to different observational constraints for short- and long-duration bursts. For short-bursts of order 10(exp 3) s, POEMMA will increase the sensitivity of existing experiments (e.g., IceCube and the Pierre Auger Observatory) by up to two orders of magnitude. For long-duration bursts on the scale of 10(exp 5−6) s, the full celestial sky is available and the average neutrino sensitivity will be increased by up to a factor of 50, reaching the desired level to probe model predictions of transient neutrino sources (e.g., of blazer flares as well as both black hole-black hole and neutron star-neutron star mergers). POEMMA’s neutrino sensitivity to various models of transient neutrino sources are detailed. Altogether, our results demonstrate better sensitivity to ToO neutrino sources from the space-based POEMMA experiment compared to current ground-based experiments, and more importantly, demonstrate unique full-sky coverage for ToO neutrino sources.

Venters, Tonia M.↗